Princess Bridget dreams of entering the nearby convent. She fears marriage and childbirth and is convinced both will end in tragedy. But her father, tPrincess Bridget dreams of entering the nearby convent. She fears marriage and childbirth and is convinced both will end in tragedy. But her father, the King, fears the Vikings and wants to strengthen his land, so he arranges a marriage with a respected warrior, Vortimer.

Reluctant to enter into the union, free spirited Bridget seeks the help of her older and wiser sister, Celestine. Celestine has an agenda all her own, and while she pretends to help Bridget, she connives and conceives one wicked plan after another to ensure she remains on top. Bridget soon finds advantages in both her marriage and her husband and that only pushes her crazed sister further against her.

This story has everything and I was really impressed. Battles are fought, enemies and love are made, and a little mysticism leads the way. Bone Tear was next to impossible to set down as I found myself willingly tangled in the treachery, diving into the deceit and seduced by the sexcapades. The story ends leaving you desperate for more and I actually groaned out loud as I came upon the last page. I am anxious to get my hands on book two in this clever saga; Harry Hauca is a powerful story teller!

While Marley is enjoying a relaxing evening in his hammock, he spots a golden treasure… bananas. He immediately grabs the bunch and then proceeds to hWhile Marley is enjoying a relaxing evening in his hammock, he spots a golden treasure… bananas. He immediately grabs the bunch and then proceeds to hoard and guard them from his friends. His love for his new treasure soon turns away his pals as he one by one alienates them in order to keep the bananas all to himself.

With the help of a wise old Pelican named, Pete, Marley begins to see the error of his ways. He then realizes his treasures mean nothing if he no longer has good friends to share them with.

This was a cute and quick story with an important lesson about greed, sharing and the gift of giving. I would have rated it a bit higher, but it felt a tad formulaic and while I like my children’s books to teach a lesson, I usually like it to be a little more subliminal.

The illustrations were gorgeous and while I read to my son he would be giggling at the pictures or pointing things out to me. I hope this isn’t the last we will see of Marley and his friends. I think between the story and the illustrations it is a character kids of all ages could enjoy; I know my son and I did.

I fear that most people will read the title of this book, look at its cover art and think this is some sort of historical romance, when in fact it isI fear that most people will read the title of this book, look at its cover art and think this is some sort of historical romance, when in fact it is not, it’s a brilliant work historical fiction with more than one engaging mystery, one of which revolves around a tragic romance.

Lizzie Manning is a historian and a professor living in Boston, Massachusetts. She is contacted by the Hatton family in Britain to study and document their ancestor, Francis Hatton, and the journal he wrote and the artifacts he collected during his sea voyage with Captain James Cook.

Invited to stay and research the documents and artifacts in the family home, Hedgemont, Lizzie soon discovers this family has a history deep in tradition and tragedy, dating back to the thirteenth century and the Crusades. As she uncovers more about Francis, she discovers more about his family’s tragic past and the women who seem to be affected by that past, fatally. Immersed in the rich detail and history of the family, Lizzie makes several discoveries and unlocks mysteries that have plagued the family and remained unsolved for centuries.

All the mysteries involved with the Hatton family seem to center around one tragic event at the time of the Crusades, and the missing heart that was never recovered from the event. The line between what was and what is becomes blurred as the past starts affecting Lizzie more personally than she ever thought possible when history begins to repeat itself.

It took a little while for the story to fully take off and take shape, but once it did, I was as engrossed in the Hatton family history as Lizzie was. The story is powerful in its details and the tragedies of the past make a great impact on the reader. Both the historical and fictitious stories are fascinating and with each discovery made by Lizzie, I felt like I was watching her put the pieces of a puzzle together. The characters of the story enhanced the journey and each role was played an important part to fitting all the pieces of the puzzle together at the end.

I stated at the beginning of this review that I feared people would think this book a romance and overlook it, or simply not pick it up. The truth is there is enough romance involved to entertain the romance reader, but there is so much more going on in this story that I feel this is a book that fans of most genres will enjoy. Mystery, romance, historical fiction, or just great fiction fans in general would enjoy this tale, immensely, I think. This book looks to be the first in a trilogy featuring Lizzie and her supporting cast, and I look forward to the next adventure and mystery with much enthusiasm.

Emma is a typical Hungarian teenage girl. She lives at home with parents and has a few girlfriends she is really close to. While her pals are alreadyEmma is a typical Hungarian teenage girl. She lives at home with parents and has a few girlfriends she is really close to. While her pals are already interested in the opposite sex, Emma is more interested in her studies. Then one night she is awoken by a stranger in her room, he takes her blood and the life as she knows it and turns her into a Predatoress.

Emma reluctantly embraces her new lifestyle as a Vampire and although she wishes she were mortal she selfishly turns her best friend Kati into a Vampire, and then the two of them turn their other two friends, Gizi and Eszti, into Vampires. Soon this foursome is terrorizing their hometown on their quest for blood to sustain a life none of them is completely comfortable with.

This book reads like a memoir, told from the viewpoint of Emma, the friend that starts it all. The book summary promises an interesting and unusual vampire tale that pulled me in immediately. Unfortunately, the actual story fails to pick up speed until the book is about half of the way through. The storyline gets bogged down with Emma’s ramblings of genetics, DNA, Hungarian histories and delicacies, and the repetitious fights and feedings between the 4 friends. It made it difficult to weed through the prose to get to the heart and vitality of the story, which ends up being Emma’s quest for a cure for her, her friends and the other Vampires out there.

The main problem I had was with Emma herself. She is not a likable heroine or villain. Her bossy, know-it-all and selfish behavior makes it really hard for the reader to care about what she has to say. She comes off as immature one moment and pompous the next. When Emma is only a few hours old in her new vampire persona, she begins to speak, act and dictate as though she is lifelong authority on Vampire etiquette and ethics. If I had been one of the three friends she had turned, and then ordered about and lectured relentlessly, I would have staked her in the heart after about 5 minutes.

I was really looking forward to this tale, but ultimately found myself disappointed. The marketing campaign for this book is brilliant, and I have no doubt it will be a success because of it. Reader’s can also visit predatoress.com and purchase a bottle of Emma’s own Blood wine; a luscious and fruity Red Zinfandel, with a bite. Perhaps I should have drunk the bottle of wine whilst I read?

Life can change in an instant, and for the happy couple in this story, it changed in one afternoon. Sharon and Jim have a typical happy relationship;Life can change in an instant, and for the happy couple in this story, it changed in one afternoon. Sharon and Jim have a typical happy relationship; they have a nine month old daughter, Anna, and a life they both enjoy. When Sharon and her neighborhood friend, Katie, decide to have lunch one day, Jim is happy to stay home and take care of Anna. Unfortunately an accident happens and Anna and Jim are both hurt severely. Sharon feels the need to blame Jim and decides a separation is the only way she can cope.

Sharon moves and gives up her stay at home Mommy status to work as an accountant in a nice firm. Her life is no longer happy and when someone tries to run her off the road one evening it seems someone wants to end her unhappy life.

The storyline seemed interesting enough; unfortunately there are way too many things about it that ended up ruining what could have been a decent read.

The accident itself seemed far fetched and the reason behind it really wasn’t Jim’s fault. The fact that Sharon felt the need to blame him and be so cruel seemed out of character and exaggerated to me. But I tried to put myself in Sharon’s shoes and tried to overlook this.

The dialogue in this book is really bizarre. Every time someone talks I would find myself cringing and thinking “who talks like this?” There was no natural flow to conversations and not one character felt like a real person.

The mystery portion of the story was than a little weak. I had pegged one of the culprits from the moment they entered into the story and before the mystery began. Also, the two detectives that are assigned to the case were like the Keystone Cops. They bumble their way through the case with jokes that fall flat and questionable crime solving skills. How they actually solved the case was the real mystery to me.

I hate writing bad reviews on debut books, especially when I seem to be in the minority with my opinion. But there really wasn’t one thing about this book I feel I could rave about or recommend to another reader. It definitely lacks polish.

Christmas means a lot of things to many different people. There is an undeniable spirit in the air, the gatherings with close family and friends, andChristmas means a lot of things to many different people. There is an undeniable spirit in the air, the gatherings with close family and friends, and the traditions we repeat year after year. One of those traditions is the decorating of the Christmas tree. After reading this book, you will never look at decorating the Christmas tree in the same way again. 

In most families each ornament has a special meaning; baby’s first Christmas, the ornaments received as wedding gifts, the ornaments made by the children. In this story the Christmas tree is decorated with ornaments that all have special meanings, too. The children have their favorites and the placement of the ornaments is important. But when the family goes to bed for the night, and the Christmas lights on the tree are turned off, those ornaments come to life.

Each ornaments checks out their location on the tree, prime real-estate is at the front of the tree, not towards the back, of course. And as they awaken from a years slumber in the Christmas box, they begin looking for old family and friends. When a Snowman ornament named Larry can’t find his brother, he and a few pals set out to locate the Christmas box and bring him back to the tree.

This story was completely charming and the pencil drawings that accompany the pages are fantastic; they really help to tell the tale and stir the imagination. Told in 24 chapters the author wishes the book to be read, aloud, as a family one chapter at a time starting on December 1st and ending on Christmas Eve. This is a tradition I plan on starting this year. As I finished this story this morning, I placed the book in my own Christmas box, and plan on reading Chapter 1 on December 1st. I look forward to seeing this story light up my sons face.

Secrets of a Christmas Box brings all the wonder of Christmas to life. I can’t wait to decorate my tree this year, I will be more careful about the placement of the ornaments and make sure each ornament gets a little bit of attention. This is a story that is meant to be shared and enjoyed by all ages, I highly recommend it.

Paul is visiting his good friend Tom when he is first introduced to Dobie (then known as Vicious). Tom ushers Paul over to a neighbor’s neglected andPaul is visiting his good friend Tom when he is first introduced to Dobie (then known as Vicious). Tom ushers Paul over to a neighbor’s neglected and abused litter of Doberman/Rottwieler mixed puppies. Paul is still in mourning over the fairly recent death of his dog and the last thing he wants is a puppy. But when Paul and Tom return from a week long hiking and camping trip, Tom once again mentions the puppies. He points out a girl pup named Vicious and again tries to get Paul to take her. Paul takes one look at the skinny and scared pup and decides “no way” at about the very moment his inner guide says “take her.”

Paul follows the advice of his inner guide and takes the scared pup. Not long into the lengthy car trip home Vicious pees and defecates on the seat. Paul is certain he has made the wrong choice, and is already regretting his decision.

What starts off as a timid relationship based on Paul tip toeing around and catering to the needs and fears of a very emotionally wounded animal, soon turns into a mutual love and respect that only people who have shared that deep bond that forms between a pet and its owner can fully understand and appreciate.

Paul eventually changes Vicious’ name to Dobie after she loses some of her fears and aggressions and she begins to accept Paul’s love and care. Paul takes us through her transformation and their 13 years of life together in a short, sweet and poignant tale.

Paul is a spiritual person and believes that his chance meeting with Tom years earlier was destined so that years later Tom could introduce him to Dobie, the dog that would change his life. After reading this story, I am sure that he is correct.

I recently lost my three year old Irish Wolfhound, Fenian, and as a result I have put off reading this story for a few months. I wasn’t ready to read about another dog’s life and death. I am still not sure I was fully ready, but reading Paul’s words and having them echo some of my own thoughts and feelings about my own dog, has made me feel more content with the short time I had with my friend.

This is definitely a tear jerker, so grab your Kleenex, but I think the relationship between Dobie and Paul, and the amazing spiritual imprint Dobie left on his life, and the lives of others she met, is well worth the puffy eyes I am now suffering from. Dobie had a remarkable and long life, she left Paul in a better place, emotionally, and she is in a better place, spiritually. Paul did a tremendous job of relating both of their stories; it’s an extraordinary tribute to a man’s best friend.

Aden Stone hears voices in his head, four voices to be precise. As a result he has been shipped to several different foster homes and several differenAden Stone hears voices in his head, four voices to be precise. As a result he has been shipped to several different foster homes and several different mental institutions throughout his entire life. The voices in his head are loud and constant and Aden communicates with them regularly by speaking out loud to them. To his psychiatrists and people around him he appears to be schizophrenic; but he's not. The voices in his head are real; they are souls trapped in his body, each one containing a special supernatural gift.

Aden moves to a ranch for troubled kids in Oklahoma and receives a much needed break from the hospitals; he gets a chance at a semi normal life. When he meets a girl named Mary Ann he is equally attracted and repelled by her, he longs to hug her, but he also wants to run. He also discovers that she quiets the voices in his head, giving him a peace he has never known.

As he joins public school for the first time he is faced with issues that all teens face; bullies, trying to fit in, and even enjoying his first crush. But Aden is also confronted with things on the supernatural front; he discovers the existence of Vampires, Werewolves, Shape Shifters, Fairies, Goblins and Ghosts. All creatures from the supernatural realm are being pulled to this small town in Oklahoma, all of them searching for Aden.

This was a very hard book to put down, I was simply fascinated by Aden and the souls he carries and found myself dying to know what was drawing him to Mary Ann. The book pulls you in from page one and keeps you excited and brimming with anticipation throughout. I found myself saying "one more chapter and then I will put it down." That rarely ever happened; I only set the book down when sleep and/or life demanded.

The story deals with some issues that seem adult, but unfortunately are pretty common in the teen world. The book touches lightly on teen sex, pregnancy and drugs. When I say lightly, it is discussed but definitely not the focus of the story, nor does any of it feel to mature for a teen audience.

I have been seeing Gena Showalter's name for years. Amazon has recommended her books based on others that I have bought and for some reason I have never gotten around to trying her out. If all her books are half as wonderful as this one, I will be reading her regularly.

I am hoping that Aden and his pals will be back again, and the story will continue as part of a series. Some things were left unresolved and I am aching to know more and get some answers. Ms. Showalter is an exceptional storyteller and has successfully trapped me into her paranormal world.

This story stars Wally, a walking catfish, a little girl named Madison and her yellow lab named cooper. One day Madison and Cooper are fishing when WaThis story stars Wally, a walking catfish, a little girl named Madison and her yellow lab named cooper. One day Madison and Cooper are fishing when Wally gets snagged on their line. Madison reels Wally in and up on the dock, she is ready to release him when to her surprise he begins to walk back toward the water on his own.

PROS: The story idea is cute and the illustrations are charming. There are boxes of text at the bottom of some pages giving fun facts about the animals and nature they encounter on their journey. Cooper is a funny dog and when he grumbled and mumbled I found myself smiling.

CONS: The book is all dialogue, there are no sentences describing the journey, just conversations between the characters. That creates an uneasy and stilted flow while reading. The dialogue isn’t distinguished with quotation marks, paragraph indentation, or even the character names at the end of the dialogue. It makes it hard to differentiate who is talking to whom.

I am assuming that the author plans to create other adventures starring this threesome. I hope he loses all the chatter and concentrates more on sentences that tell the story in a more descriptive, traditional, story telling manner. I think if he did that he’d easily have a fabulous children’s series.

The sky looks a little funny as a 7th grader named Gregory sits in his quiet spot by a creek. He has recently found a monocle with red tinted glass anThe sky looks a little funny as a 7th grader named Gregory sits in his quiet spot by a creek. He has recently found a monocle with red tinted glass and he knows it isn’t quite normal because whenever he places it over his eye he gets a strange tingling feeling. When he places it over his eye as he sits by the creek he sees a cave like hole appear in an otherwise solid wall. When he removes the monocle, the cave disappears; further proof that the red monocle is anything but normal.

The next day at school the sky looks even more off and there is just something wrong with the day, no one is acting as they should, no one except for his 8th grade friend, Yolanda. When she also comments on the strangeness of the day, Gregory takes her to his tunnel/cave and together they embark on a extraordinary journey.

They step through the tunnel and they walk into another world where King Arthur has yet to free Excalibur, where Merlin has seemed to have lost his powers and part of his memory, where history is being rewritten. It’s up to Gregory and Yolanda to help put things back to rights.

This was a tightly written and exciting little story and I was so eager to find out what would happen next I read it in one sitting. From paragraph one I was completely immersed in the story. I love fiction that is created to entertain all ages and this one certainly hits the mark. Written for ages 8 and up I can easily see it appealing to all ages. It has two ordinary teens that turn out to be heroes, a visit to a historical and magical time, and a fast paced and gripping plot. This appears to be the first book in a series the next one, The Death of the Good Wizard, is due September 2010 and I looking forward to reading what happens next. I thought this was a fun and fantastic read!

Sabrina went to Nantucket, leaving her old life behind, after an emotional upheaval that left her bruised internally. For the past year she has been wSabrina went to Nantucket, leaving her old life behind, after an emotional upheaval that left her bruised internally. For the past year she has been working in a café as a waitress and on her off hours having a rewarding email relationship with a man. They haven’t exchanged real names; she is known only as sweet pea and he only as Harbormaster. Sabrina, however, has known the identity of her online love interest for a long while now; he’s none other than her daily coffee customer, Tucker.

Tucker wants to take this online relationship to the next level and hires Sabrina to find the mysterious Sweetpea. What Sabrina doesn’t know is that Tucker has known who she was from the very start.

I admit that I started reading this book with some prejudice and a negative attitude. I ordered the book after reading the premise and knowing it was a romance. While adding the book to my bookshelf on GoodReads I discovered it was a Christian Romance and nearly cringed. I have never read one before, but I had visions of God this and God that, and Jesus making his presence known on every page. I was pleased to find how tastefully God entered into the story. Only at the end of the story did it get to be too much for me. But for the most part I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this story.

The whole “I know, but she doesn’t know I know” thing dragged on a bit and I would have liked to have seen some honesty in this Christian relationship a little sooner. They really don’t wrap things up till the very end and for me that was too long to wait. Overall, I liked this book a lot; I felt the writing made it easy for me to want to keep turning the pages. The author expresses her faith on these pages in a way I wish most people would do so in real life, with honesty and pride, but without force-feeding it or preaching unnecessarily. I would definitely read more Christian Romances from this author and based on the fact that I am not Christian, I think that says a lot.

17 year old Amy has just decided not to go to college for a year and to kill time she begins to write a blog. Writing under the name of Katie she begi17 year old Amy has just decided not to go to college for a year and to kill time she begins to write a blog. Writing under the name of Katie she begins to amuse her readers with tantalizing tidbits of her life. By changing names and pertinent facts she is able to keep her sordid tales about sex, drugs, drinking, and the dysfunctional relationship with her parents and much older men, anonymous.

Amy longs to be discovered and truly loved, but there is so much about herself and life she needs to discover first and the lessons aren’t always easy.

When I was younger the book to read was Go Ask Alice, the supposed real life diary of a good girl gone bad with a heavy dose of drug abuse. This book reminded me of that one, immediately. I guess because the blogs of today are the diaries of yesterday. It has the same concept, except I think this one is solidly more compelling. I began reading this book with the promise that after 20 pages I would clean my house… 290 pages later I finally finished the book and was at least able to vacuum before the hubby got home.

It is a hard book to set down, and the blogs are all interesting although some are simple, some childish and selfish, some are sexy and some are downright sad. While reading I wondered how someone so physically and mentally mature could be so emotionally immature. She was at once a child and a whore, innocence and corruption; half the time I wanted to smack her, the other half I wanted to hold her.

I can highly recommend this read; on entertainment value alone I would have given it 5 stars. However, the ending was unnecessarily dismal and left you with more questions than answers and no real closure. I hate that. I am not a fan of unanswered questions or cliffhangers; I like a tidy clean ending. But maybe that’s just me. Enjoy!

This is the second book in the Brides trilogy starring the Dewar brothers.

Once upon a time and Elizabeth were in love. While they waited for her fatheThis is the second book in the Brides trilogy starring the Dewar brothers.

Once upon a time and Elizabeth were in love. While they waited for her father’s approval of their relationship they made plans for the future with every intention of being married. Then Reese went off to war and when he came back 3 short months later on leave it was to discover Elizabeth married to another man. He has never recovered, nor has he forgiven her. 8 years later Elizabeth is a widow and she shows up on his doorstep with her son in tow severely ill, scared and begging for sanctuary.

I hadn’t realized this was the second book in a trilogy when I ordered it, so when I began the story I was a little afraid I would be lost having missed out on the first one. Luckily, this book is written in a way that it could have been easily a stand alone. Not once did I feel like I was missing anything.

This happens to be one of my favorite romance novel storylines. I like the idea of lovers separated by whatever reason and finding their way back to each other. I like the discovery of secrets long buried and I like intimate love scenes; this book had it all. I did, however, get a little tired of having to read about a certain part of the male anatomy standing at attention on every other page. The hero and another male character in this story had to be severely uncomfortable as it seems they were in a constant state of arousal. I kept hoping they’d take matters into their own hands (pun intended) so their man parts could relax a bit and blood could circulate to other parts of their bodies for a change.

This was my first book by Kat Martin, and though it wasn’t my favorite historical romance, I am definitely interested enough to continue on with the series and try on another one of her books. It’s an enjoyable and light and easy read.

Playing the mystic, Madame Esmerelda, is what Jenny knows and what she is good at. Brought up in a school for ladies she was groomed and schooled withPlaying the mystic, Madame Esmerelda, is what Jenny knows and what she is good at. Brought up in a school for ladies she was groomed and schooled with the skills necessary to be a gentleman’s wife, unfortunately, due to her mysterious parentage that would never happen. Alone in the world, Jenny makes her living by wearing the garb of a Gypsy and if you cross her palm with silver, she will make up a few lies and leave you with a little bit of hope.

When the Marquess of Blakely, Gareth Carhart, learns that his hapless cousin, Ned, has been paying Madame Esmerelda to guide him along in life, he is outraged. He follows Ned to Esmeralda’s door and demands proof of her foreseeing talents. He knows a charlatan when he sees one and when Madame Esmerelda tells him of his future and a few tasks he must complete in order for her reading to come to fruition, he is even more confident that she will be proven a fraud soon.

While the Marquess persona and the Esmerelda persona may not like or fully understand one another, the sparks fly between the real people behind those facades. Jenny and Gareth find themselves wanting what they know they can not have, and loving what they know they shouldn’t.

I was shocked to find out this was a debut novel. This book has all the polish and fluidity of a veteran romance writer at her best. Jenny and Gareth’s characters are complex in that they both lead dual lives. Both of them have lost sight of who they really are because they have been playing at someone else for so long; Jenny as a fortune teller, Gareth as a Marquess.

Following them along the pages as they rediscovered themselves, their lives and discovered love for the first time, was a blast. The story is laced with passion, humor, emotion and wonderfully memorable characters. I am anxiously awaiting the next book in the series!

This is the third and final book in the Tumble Creek Series. You can read this easily without having read the first two, I did and didn’t feel lost atThis is the third and final book in the Tumble Creek Series. You can read this easily without having read the first two, I did and didn’t feel lost at all.

Jane Morgan has worked hard to put her ugly past behind her. Keeping her both her clothing and her manner reliable, appropriate and always business like, Jane has made her self indispensable to her boss. She loves her job and the feeling of accomplishment it gives her.

When tattooed and rugged William Chase steps into her office, she sees a man her body wants, but her brain is telling her to stay far far away. Fortunately for Jane, Chase has his own ideas about her and he is not about to walk out of her life. When Jane’s brother gets in trouble with the law the one man she can depend on is Chase and that has her body and brain at constant battle with each other.

This was a fantastic book! I laughed my butt off, out loud, several times. Jane’s Grandma Olive is a nut job and had me in hysterics. The chemistry between Jane and Chase is off the charts and the pages practically sizzle with the heat these two generate. Jane is a multidimensional character with some serious flaws and issues, but that doesn’t detract from her appeal, it just makes her real. I could Chase with a spoon; he is smart and sexy, tough and tender, tattooed and delicious. He has a wicked sense of humor and plenty of charm.

This book evoked a lot of emotions. I laughed throughout it, but also found myself tearing up a time or two. This was my first book by Victoria Dahl, but it won’t be my last. After closing this book, I went ahead and ordered the first two from this series. I can’t wait to revisit Tumble Creek. I highly recommend this story!

Retired Librarian, Rachel Lyons, has begun a new chapter in her life. With her retired Marine husband, Matt, they have started a Private InvestigatingRetired Librarian, Rachel Lyons, has begun a new chapter in her life. With her retired Marine husband, Matt, they have started a Private Investigating business and recently relocated to California. When Rachel stumbles across a dead body it is assumed by most that he is just another victim of the recent forest fires that tore through the county. But Rachel isn’t so sure.

Rachel is a hand quilter and has wanted to find a group of women to sew with. Because she hasn’t made any real formal attempts at finding a quilting bee, and really hasn’t expressed an interest publicly, she is a little concerned when she receives a phone call inviting her to join a quilting bee. After a little research on the internet about the bee that call themselves Quilted Secrets, Rachel decides to join the group. What she finds is a group of women, of various ages and interests, full of secrets and bonds that Rachel only gets a brief glimpse of before she is asked to look into the recent death of their quilting friend, Ada. She is handed Ada’s last quilt and a genealogy of the Stowall family to begin her investigation.

Unraveling Ada is a complex and intriguing read that had me fighting myself so I wouldn’t skip to the end and spoil the outcome. With every discovery Rachel makes it seems to add a dozen more questions to life of Ada and the lives of the Stowall family. Each discovery is met with either hostility or help from the other members of the Quilted Secrets, making the reader all the more interested into the why’s of the story.

I am not a quilter so I thought I may get bored or lost whenever that entered into the story, instead I found the opposite happened. The author does a fantastic job of informing the reader and at the same time keeping them entertained. It’s not a ton of quilting jargon thrown at the laymen, just enough to entice, enlighten and enhance the mystery. Quilting was a big part of Ada’s life and her last legacy before dying; it’s an essential element to the story. The lives of the women, the Stowall family, the tragedies of the past and present, are all tied together in this wonderfully written tale. I really loved it.

I still have a few more questions after closing this book, but hope the next book will come with some answers for me. The characters in this story leave an impression and I look forward to unraveling the next mystery with them.

The Sun and the Moon is a beautifully illustrated children’s book with a lesson. The premise is that the sun decides to call it quits and the moon inThe Sun and the Moon is a beautifully illustrated children’s book with a lesson. The premise is that the sun decides to call it quits and the moon in turn gets angry… that starts a chain of events that includes name calling, hurt feelings, and the deterioration of Mother Earth.

While I liked the story there are a few things that kept me from loving it. In the middle of the story the author breaks from the tale about the sun and the moon to give a few pages of information about humans and they way they fight and interact. It felt out of place and unnecessary; it really broke up the flow of the story.

Also the book is written in rhyme. I am a fan of rhyming books, but at times the rhymes in this book felt too forced, like the words were chosen specifically for rhyme and not for their content or meaning.

There are a lot of good points about this story, I loved the pictures, and I loved how the author explained that fear was usually at the heart of most name calling and anger. I liked how the author used the sun and the moon to show their unique but equal importance to the Earth, like humans with their individual and important gifts. I think the message and lesson behind this story is great.

This is a story that held my attention and interest; unfortunately, the story didn’t hold the attention of my 7 year old son. He lost interest with the human relationship part about midway through the book. This wasn’t our favorite story, but it’s still enjoyable.

In the early spring of 2009, my brother, sister and I decided to plant a garden we could share at my brother’s house. I have a small herb garden, laveIn the early spring of 2009, my brother, sister and I decided to plant a garden we could share at my brother’s house. I have a small herb garden, lavender garden and some flower beds at my house, but none of us have had a vegetable garden since we were kids. We rototilled some of my brother’s land, fertilized, and purchased some veggie plants from a local farm.

We were pretty much clueless as to spacing, the number of veggies a plant yields and when to harvest; it was the blind leading the blind. It seemed like we were constantly looking things up on the internet, with varied results. As a result we had cucumbers galore, we couldn’t give them away, not enough jalapenos and squash we never seemed to pick at the right time. I ordered this book hoping that this spring/summer gardening project will go so much smoother. I have no doubt that it will; it has already cleared up so much.

The Table Contents:

The Basics• Includes everything from gardening with children, garden planning, crop protection, compost, pest control and much more.

Month by Month• A month by month guide on what and when to sow, plant, harvest, and things to do to your plants, shrubs, trees and beds.

A-Z of Plants• An index of the plants, subdivided by categories: Vegetables, Fruit, Herbs and Flowers

Index

The book contains detailed information on the plants, soil and position, sowing, planting and spacing, aftercare, common problems, harvesting and uses, varieties and companion planting. The pictures are simple and colorful photographs of the plant being discussed on the page. There are fun family crafts scattered throughout the book and even a few tasty recipes, too.

I received this book in August of 2009 and have opened it again and again whenever a plant or garden question has come up and I have yet to be disappointed. It has answered all the questions that I hoped it would, plus it gave me plenty more to think about and use. Definitely an invaluable resource for this beginner vegetable gardener!

When the Potato Famine hit Ireland, Laura Foster came to New Orleans with her family to find a better life. What they found was more poverty.3.5 stars

When the Potato Famine hit Ireland, Laura Foster came to New Orleans with her family to find a better life. What they found was more poverty. When her parents died shortly after, Laura and her 3 sisters were divided up by her uncle, the two youngest were sent to an orphanage, Laura and her sister Megan were sold elsewhere.

Years later Laura has invented a new life, name and history and is living in Texas as a successful business owner and widow. When Reverend Brand McCormick begins courting Laura, she fears her past will ruin him and her.

Honestly, had I known this was an inspirational or religious historical romance I never would have ordered it; it’s just not my thing. I thought I was getting a regular historical romance and the story blurb on the back intrigued me. Moments before reading I stumbled on a review stating the religious aspect of the story and I was not happy, but I decided to read it anyway.

Three quarters of the book I was happy with, the religious part of it really didn’t overwhelm me or color my enjoyment. I was loving the story, the characters and the shady past of Laura and Brand. It’s a very human story, emotional, heart breaking and real. I was so enjoying it I had made up my mind to order the next book in the series so I could find out what happened to Laura’s sister Megan.

Then the last quarter of the book, the church got in my way. It just got too religious and saccharine for my tastes and that made the story drag for me and I started to lose interest.

That being said, had God and a few of the hypocritical church people been left out of the story I would have absolutely loved it. And I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the religious and inspirational romances. It has a great message about pasts shaping who we are now, and how forgiveness in oneself is essential before you can seek and get forgiveness elsewhere.

Paige is a lover of stationary and pens. She appreciates the different colors, textures and thicknesses of good writing paper. She appreciates the silPaige is a lover of stationary and pens. She appreciates the different colors, textures and thicknesses of good writing paper. She appreciates the silky smooth flow of the ink when it meets paper. She even enjoys the unique smells inks and papers have.

When she opens her mailbox in the lobby of her upscale apartment building, she is puzzled and equally thrilled to find an envelope and card, made of the high quality linen, containing instructions for the beginning of a sort of game. The card gives simple instructions for the reader to make a list of 5 flaws and 5 strengths and deliver them to an address by a certain date. When Paige looks closer at the address on the envelope she discovers that the envelope was placed in her box by mistake. She reluctantly puts the envelope in its correct box but decides, for kicks, to follow the instructions anyway.

Over time more letters and instructions are mistakenly placed in her box and Paige always opens them, reads them and then promises herself to obey the instructions before placing the cards in their correct mailbox. The cards instructions range from the simple, like what to wear, to the sexual, like writing in explicit detail an essay about your most erotic experience.

The notes add a mystery to the story, as to who is sending them and who is really receiving them. They also add a sexual and voyeuristic aspect to the story. Paige discovers a little bit more about herself via the letters and their tasks.

While the letters are an important part of the book, Paige’s relationships with the people in her life are really center stage. Her family, her boss, her friend, her ex-husband and the hottie in her building, all add to the fabric of this compelling tale.

What I like about Megan Hart’s writing is she always has me assuming the story is going to be about one thing, like this one and the letters, and then she always surprises me with added complexities and emotional ties that place her books on a whole other level. It’s not just about the sex, although that is always a huge plus, it’s about all those other human reactions and emotions that come into play in and out of the bedroom.

She has Paige exploring all the feelings and emotions that spark with a new love interest, the excitement that comes with the new and unknown, the promise of discoveries and firsts. Then she has Paige reexamining old relationships and the excitement that comes from comfort and the knowledge of each others bodies and of wants and needs and the fulfillment of those things without having to ask or instruct.

I was completely spellbound by Switch from page one, and could have devoured it in one sitting. The erotica is exemplary, the story salacious. Switch is highly recommended to fans of erotica and anyone who enjoys both complete control and complete submission.

Lucy married the love of her life, then not even a year later she was widowed. It’s been over five years now since her husband has died and when her nLucy married the love of her life, then not even a year later she was widowed. It’s been over five years now since her husband has died and when her niece is born and after getting a whiff of that yummy baby smell, she decides to start dating; she wants a family. The only trouble is she has to cut loose her best friend with benefits, Ethan, who just happens to be her brother-in-law.

This was the first book I have read by Kristan Higgans, but it won’t be my last. This book tugged on all my heart strings and had me laughing out loud frequently. Several times I would find myself shedding a few tears, reaching for the Kleenex, and then in the next sentence I’d be laughing hysterically. I am sure my family thinks I am having some sort of breakdown. *grins*

It was a really fun book with extremely loveable characters. I would love to read more about Lucy and Ethan’s friend, Paige, she was colorful and I think needs her own book. I really teetered between a 4 and 5 star rating, but in the end chose the 4 star as the struggle to happily ever after began to get a bit too frustrating to me. Definitely and enjoyable and highly recommended read!

This is my first book by this author and it really didn't inspire me to press on. The work is good, but nothing remarkable or extraordinary. I reallyThis is my first book by this author and it really didn't inspire me to press on. The work is good, but nothing remarkable or extraordinary. I really liked the storyline and the characters but found myself skimming through tedious dialogue and hoping the book would end already. It just seemed to drag for me.

I can say that while this is the 5th book in the series, I didn't at all feel like I was lost or missing pertinent information contained in the previous 4 books. The author did a good job of introducing and explaining character connections, though sometimes they were a bit repetitive.

I didn't hate this read, just didn't love it. There just wasn't anything that wowed me.

George Bellamy has a terminal disease and after waging a heroic battle against it at the Mayo Clinic, he has decided to spend the remainder3.5 stars

George Bellamy has a terminal disease and after waging a heroic battle against it at the Mayo Clinic, he has decided to spend the remainder of his days his way. He hires a nurse, Claire Turner, to travel with him to the site of his childhood summers, there he plans to make amends with his past and his long lost brothers, reconnect with some family, and make a dent in his list of things to do before he dies.

Ross Bellamy is returning to his Grandfather George's side after two years spent in Afghanistan. He isn't ready to say Good-bye to the man who has been everything to him, but he wants to spend all the time he can with his Grandfather.

Claire Turner is also battling her own private war. She has a past she has successfully hid and run from since they age of 17. She has made her life what it is today out of necessity. George has an agenda for Ross and Claire, one that doesn't fit in the carefully planned world Claire lives in.

This is really a story containing four stories. You have the stories of George Bellamy's past and his present and then you have the stories containing Claire's past and present. The author does a great job of tying them together and making the reader look forward to each chapter.

It's a painful and poignant tale, laced with a good dose of hope and love. It is a story about the intricacies of families and relationships, unbreakable bonds, first loves and the battle we wage between our heads and our hearts. It's about facing the past and regrets and coming to terms with them and accepting the life you have lead and the paths you have chosen.

At times the book was remarkable, at other times predictable. While the majority of the story cruised at a lazy pace, the ending seemed hurried and rushed. I would have liked the ending and conclusion to have had the same care and thoughtfulness that the rest of the book seemed to have. Otherwise I would have rated this book higher, as I really enjoyed the first three quarters of it. I would still recommend this book, highly, as all in all I really had a great time getting to know these characters.